Campground workers have a secret they’ll never advertise: most “private property” camping happens with their full knowledge and unofficial permission. Former KOA manager Mike Torres revealed that campgrounds routinely allow overflow parking on adjacent land they don’t own, and many have handshake agreements with nearby businesses for “emergency” overnight stays.
Here’s the game-changer: when campgrounds are full, employees often direct people to specific Walmart parking lots, truck stops, or even private farms where the owners have agreed to allow RV parking. These aren’t publicly advertised because it would hurt the campground’s business, but they’re completely legal and often safer than traditional boondocking spots because they’re quasi-official.
The insider tricks that save serious money:
- Call campgrounds at 3 PM on arrival day: They’ll tell you about overflow options that cost $0-15 instead of $45-75
- Ask about “dry camping” on their property: Many allow parking without hookups for $10-20, using bathhouse facilities
- Befriend camp hosts: They know every free spot within 20 miles and which ones have unofficial permission
- Check with campground maintenance staff: They often know property owners who welcome quiet RVers for $10-20/night
One couple saved $8,400 in a single year using this network of “unofficial official” spots. They’d call ahead, get directed to a farm or business, and often ended up with hookups for a fraction of campground rates. The property owners appreciated the informal security presence, and everyone won. The key is understanding that much free camping isn’t actually “stealth”βit’s part of an informal network that campground employees help coordinate but never advertise.